Missouri is one of the United States’s lesser-known wine regions
Missouri is one of the United States’s lesser-known wine regions, but it has a long history of winemaking. French settlers were making wine here as early as the 1790s. One of its most famous wines is Norton, an obscure grape variety that many in the wine business pushed for years to have recognized as America’s first grape and wine. While native grapes certainly have a place in American viticulture, there are plenty of other varieties grown in Missouri today.
Catawba is another native variety that grows well in Missouri. It’s best known for being used to make sparkling wines like Blanc de Noirs or rosé sparklers, though it can also be made into white tablewines like Still White Catawba or pale red blush wines like White Catawba and Pink Catawba. Along with these two native grapes, you’ll find classic European varieties like Chambourcin and Vignoles (about half the state’s vineyards are planted in these).
Grapes and Wine Production
According to the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, there are over 1,800 acres of vineyards planted in the state, with an annual production of over 1.7 million gallons (over 650,000 cases) of wine per year. The state has several American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) including Augusta AVA, Hermann AVA and Ozark Mountain AVA. There are over 100 wineries producing 30 different varieties of wine. The most popular grapes grown in Missouri include Chambourcin, Catawba, Cynthiana/Norton, Vidal Blanc and Vignoles.
You might not know it, but Missouri has a long history of wine production and makes some great wines from grapes like Norton or Vignoles.
You might not know it, but Missouri has a long history of wine production and makes some great wines from grapes like Norton or Vignoles.
Grapes grown in Missouri include Chambourcin, Catawba, Cynthiana/Norton, Vidal Blanc and Vignoles. The state has several American Viticulture Areas (AVAs), including Hermann AVA (the oldest), Augusta AVA and Ozark Mountain AVA. The state has over 100 wineries producing 30 different varieties of wine.